Opinion on Pistol to buy.

Which are(is) the best 9mm to consider, fire, and pruchase?

  • Beretta PX4 Storm Compact (Type F)

    Votes: 24 8.4%

  • S&W M&P9c

    Votes: 74 26.0%

  • Glock 19

    Votes: 122 42.8%

  • Sig SP2022

    Votes: 32 11.2%

  • SCCY CPX-2 or CPX-1 Gen2

    Votes: 1 0.4%

  • Walther P99AS or PPS

    Votes: 39 13.7%

  • Stoeger Cougar ST31700

    Votes: 10 3.5%

  • Bersa Thunder Pro UC9 or HC9

    Votes: 8 2.8%

  • Springfield XDM compact

    Votes: 57 20.0%

  • Ruger SR9C

    Votes: 43 15.1%
  • Total voters
    285
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.
If the Walther P99 is on your list, you might consider instead getting the new Walther PPQ. It's all the rage these days, and with good reason. The trigger is as good as it gets, IMO.
Click to expand...

The Walther PPQ trigger is as good as it gets for a Glock-style pre-cocked trigger with a trigger-blade safety. Smooth, crisp, and a VERY short reset.

The Walther P99AS "Anti-Stress" trigger is as good as it gets for a DA/SA trigger. Its single-action trigger is even lighter and crisper than the excellent constant-action trigger of the PPQ. Its double-action trigger is longer and heavier than the PPQ, but still incredibly smooth and crisp. The reset is the same as the PPQ.

The PPQ and P99AS are basically the same gun. You just have to decide which trigger suits you better. For me, it's the P99AS. I just feel that the DA/SA "Anti-Stress" trigger is both safer for carry and more fun to shoot at the range.
 
Just last Friday I picked up the Ruger LC9 that my wife wanted. She changed her mind after the third shot at the range...too much perceived recoil, all in the wrong parts of her hand. I went out to the rental desk, and came back with a S&W M&P9, a 9c, a XDc, and a Glock 19. Two boxes later, the M&P 9c was the clear winner, slightly behind the G19 for accuracy but waaaay ahead in comfort. She then went out to the sales counter and held Ruger SR9 and 9c, and didn't want either of them. We get the next M&P 9c that arrives at the dealer. It will be her range and winter CCW gun, the LC9 will be her pocket CCW.

If shooting a particular gun is painful, it won't get shot much. I was able to comfortably shoot every gun she tried, but she had a completely different experience. She did, however, shoot my 1911 .45acp - and her last three shots were all in the bullseye and touching...
 
CZ-75D PCR. It is a compact, lightweight alloy 9MM that is very accurate and relaible. It can be used for CCW, home defense, and range work.
 
She changed her mind after the third shot at the range...too much perceived recoil,
Click to expand...
Thanks Teachu2,
Yeah we tried a Ruger sr9 and it was terrible. My wife could barely get the trigger to pull and I had to rack the slide for her two shots. I even had trouble with the heavy!! trigger.

BTW to all those voting and reading.
1. Current leading contenders are the Kahr e-9 for my wife. Way too small for me.
2. S&W M&P9 we both like this one.
3. FNH FNS-9 fits my hand like a glove. Very strong contender.

I plan to try out the Walther PPQ/S, Sig 9mm, and Glock 17/19 next time at the range to see how those feel and handle.
CZ's are hard too find in my area at the moment. Though I did see some down south the other day. Nothing to rent unfortunately. Will try if I can find one.

Some other notes.
The Beretta PX4 is out. Too large and long a trigger reach. Neither of use can get to the trigger easily.
Ruger is out. Hard safety to use easily, lousy trigger, difficult slide to rack and especially release (My wife just can't release it. Too far away, too stiff, too HARD!!!)
SCCY and Stroeger are out as I can't find one to even hold.
Liked holding the Bersa but am shying away from it for now. May try at a range about an hour away next time I'm down there for possible future purchase.
 
Col Temp: Get that FNH and the Kahr, then. There is nothing in the world like a gun that fits you like it was made for you.

A number of years ago, I was looking for a service-size 9mm. I thought I was going to get a Sig or M9 Beretta, but then I picked up a CZ on a whim, and fell in love.

My CZ75 love affair continues to this day. There is no other auto pistol for me. Get the one that fits.
 
short answer: glock 19 is the clear choice on your list. the gen 4 is ambi also :)

long answer: before you even shoot or buy anything, just go visit the shops and hold/dry-fire them all. i've found that just holding lots of guns can eliminate lots of potential guns from your list, simply because "they don't feel good in the hand." hey, if it doesn't feel good, it's probably not going to shoot good either...once you've narrowed your list, you should probably rent and try the rest. it'll be cheaper with a shorter list.
 
Make sure you try a M&P 9c - the grip is not the same as the full-size M&P. Also try the different backstraps on it. It works for both of us!
 
Have you considered the Walther PPQ in 9mm (not p99)? I have only put 200 rounds through mine but it feels great and has ambidextrous mag release and slide stop. The trigger is better than the smith m&p in my opinion and the reset is like a finger twitch. It's also very "snag free". I'm going to use it as my back up/off duty gun for now but hope to use it as my duty carry instead of my sig as soon as the holster companies start making the dies for it. That's how much I love mine.
 
difficult slide to rack and especially release (My wife just can't release it. Too far away, too stiff, too HARD!!!)
Click to expand...

A couple of hints from working with the wife:
Racking the slide: Grasp slide in left hand, put left forwarm tight against body with muzzle down and away, then use right hand to PUSH the grip down and away instead of pulling the slide. My wife can rack my G30 that way, but isn't even close using the normal way.
Releasing the slide: if unloaded, use same procedure but add slide release. If reloading, forget the slide release - point the gun downrange and pull the slide back a teeny bit. It'll release itself.
 
I practice with 115 grain xtreme plated bullets that I load. For defense, I bought some Federal 9PBLE 115 gr +p+ rounds for $18/50. This load has been proven with the Illinois state police, so I feel comfortable with it. The box says they will clock 1350 fps.
 
Racking the slide: Grasp slide in left hand, put left forwarm tight against body with muzzle down and away, then use right hand to PUSH the grip down and away instead of pulling the slide. My wife can rack my G30 that way, but isn't even close using the normal way.
Click to expand...
Thanks Teachu2, will give it a try if we run into another that she finds hard to rack the slide with.
Will likely restart this thread in another post soon once I have things narrowed further.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
 
Of those on your list, the M&P.

However, I have to agree with previous posters that you should check out the 5906. No ambi mag or slide release, but the deckock/safety is, and you simply will not find a better 9mm service pistol-especially for the price.

And FWIW, if your index & middle finger can manipulate them, you are actually at an advantage with most "right handed" guns; Most of us righties have to cant the gun to manipulate the mag or slide release, where a southpaw can reach them using the index & middle finger without repositioning the gun. A good friend of mine who shoots competetively is a lefty, and other than the thumb safety, he prefers right handed controls for that reason.
 
purchased results

Hi all,
thought I would update this thread one more time with the decision made for the first.

Berretta's and Ruger - Triggers out of reach, slide hard to rack, Just plain didn't work.
Kahr - Too long trigger.
Here's what we got:
Mine
P1000659.jpg

My wife's
P1000663.jpg
 
BTW

Glock and Walther were ruled out even though I know many here like them. Gen3/4 grips just plain don't work for me. Groves in the wrong place (as I had been warned might be the case.) Tried a Gen2 and it was OK for me but to much recoil for my wife.

Sig's had the same problem with Recoil. My wife kept falling back onto the M&P as the best of both worlds. The M&P9c was a little hard to handle for her so we went back to the full size.

CZ - I found a used one and was interested but liked the feel and grip of the FNS better.

We also decided to go completely striker fired for the first ones to avoid the longer and tougher triggers of the hammers. Since we are both learning and my wife more so, we thought it better to avoid the two trigger weights.

I did like the PPQ trigger, just wish the grips would have worked better!

SCCY and Bersa - On advice decided not to pursue them based on comments and the potential for questionable quality. May try a bersa later.

Beretta was dropped as even with a normal grip the trigger was still a reach for me and way to far away for my wife. On top of that needing extra pull with the reach to cock the hammer caused it to be dropped.

I did like the hold of the XDM but never found one to fire. This is another may try in the future.
Wish I could have found a Stoeger to try but no one has one around here. Even in the gun stores. So I dropped it from contention.

Away some thoughts and facts found while searching and trying several.

Having some issues with the FNS stovepiping and shells not extracting all the way. Cleaned it once and did it again. Filled the mags and left them filled. Also have cycled the mags manually a few rounds with only one problem. Will break it down and clean again and make sure I got all the factory gue off and make sure its not over lubricated.
Plan to hit the range again and test a couple of mags to see if I have troubles again. Hope its just breaking in pains. BTW so far I have used some Aguila 124gr 9mm and Speer 115gr and magtech 115gr. All seem to not make a difference. May try another ammo to see if its the ammo if I continue to have issues. Any suggestions?
 
None of the above ... pick up and shoot a CZ75 or CZ patterned gun and you may end up buying it.
 
BBDartCA said:
None of the above ... pick up and shoot a CZ75 or CZ patterned gun and you may end up buying it.
Click to expand...

Yet, an HK USP can be set up with ambi mag release, ambi safety and decocker, and the slide release can be operated with either hand too. Plus...it's a darn fine gun too.
But...it's not on the list for some reason.
I don't know why?
The OP seemed interested in ambidextrous features.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

W
  • Locked
First CCW Pistol
2
Replies
43
Views
2K
WildeKurt
W
R
  • Locked
  • Poll
opinions on a 9mm pistol...
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
zorba
Z
M
  • Locked
Smallest 9mm?
2
Replies
38
Views
6K
richardKatts
R
T
  • Locked
Beretta Storm (compact) vs S&W 469/669/6906
Replies
4
Views
783
Lonestar49
L
Wanderling
  • Locked
Two 9mm to rent, which ones ?
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
Wanderling
Wanderling
Back
Top